Anthrax Unveil Limited-Edition 40th Anniversary Bourbon Whiskey

The year of 2021 has been a big one for Anthrax, who already chronicled their four decades of existence in a multi-part documentary series that took fans through the entire history of the thrash icons. Now, 'Anthrax XL,' a celebratory, signature 40th anniversary bourbon whiskey has officially been unveiled.

Just one barrel of the bourbon was produced by Hillrock Estate Distillery and poured into 400 hand-numbered bottles, making this high-end anniversary spirit quite limited.

'Anthrax XL' is a "smooth Solera-aged, single-barrel bourbon finished for 40 days in a 20-year-old Oloroso Sherry cask, providing the spirits with balanced flavors and layers of complexity," states a press release.

Each bottle is a weighty 115 proof cask strength and retails for $155, with 40 very limited edition bottles priced at $350 and housed in a black drawstring gift bag imprinted with the 'Anthrax XL' logo and packed in a customized box encased in a SilverFoil cardstock wrap-around. These 40 bottles also come with a Golden Ticket, which affords the purchaser and one guest admission into a headlining Anthrax show at a nearby area with access to an in-person meet and greet on a 2022 U.S. tour.

Fans (who are of legal drinking age) can purchase either variant at this location.

Speaking about the experience of bringing this bourbon to market, bassist Frank Bello said, "I had a great time up at Hillrock. Everything there is homegrown, and all done by hand. Jeffrey, Cathy, Alex, and everyone who works there are all really nice people who care so much about what they do and how they do it. I'm very, very happy with our 'Anthrax XL' whiskey. It's smooth, has a great aftertaste, and creates a great vibe. Right after my first taste, I wanted more."

"I sampled eight different whiskeys from Hillrock's rickhouse when I was there to pick one for our 40th-anniversary bottle," added guitarist Scott Ian.

"It's a difficult task in that they're all so great, thieved from the barrel and into my glass. Every time I've had to choose a whiskey, I wait for the juice to tell me that, 'it's the one.' This barrel spoke up loud and clear," he continued and noted, "On the nose, there is an explosion of caramel, toffee, and butterscotch with hints of dried cherries and fresh herbs. The palette has a rich texture of bright red fruits, baking spices, and toasted almonds. I'm drooling just reading that back. Get yourself a bottle, you deserve it!"

Watch Bello and Ian discuss their 40th anniversary bourbon in the video below and see more photos further down the page.

Anthrax's Scott Ian and Frank Bello Discuss 'Anthrax XL' 40th Anniversary Bourbon